


Fathers and Daughters

by lasairfhiona



Series: Blessing in Disguise [9]
Category: West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-21
Updated: 2012-01-21
Packaged: 2017-10-29 21:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/324133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lasairfhiona/pseuds/lasairfhiona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Final story in the series</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fathers and Daughters

No matter how hard he tried to get out of his office at a decent hour, it was another late night. In fact, late nights were all he'd been having since he got back from his little over two weeks off on Monday. As he drove through the nearly deserted streets of the capital, he had time to think about something other than work. There was nothing in the world that would make him regret the time he took off. Not even the mess Josh had made of his office or the daily minor crisis he had to deal with. The only time he'd even seen the senior staff during his time off was when he introduced them to the newest McGarry, Grace Louise, when they all came by the hospital.

He'd been able to spend the last few days of Ainsley's pregnancy with her. He helped her with the last minute preparations and simply enjoyed holding her and feeling their baby move inside her. Not that he hadn't done that before, but there had always been something else demanding his attention and limiting his time with them. Those last few days, however, there had been nothing but Ainsley and waiting for their child. He'd had the thrill of watching his second daughter come into the world with Mallory by his side. She helped him coach Ainsley then held his hand steady as he cut the umbilical cord when his emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He'd been able to spend long afternoons curled up in bed watching Ainsley and Grace sleep and he'd rocked his tiny daughter to sleep and watched as she curled her hand around his finger.

Ainsley's decision to take the maximum amount of maternity leave allowed and then work from home as much as possible so she could nurse Grace caught him off guard. It was the last thing he expected her to do. As did the emotions he felt as he watched his daughter's tiny mouth latch on and gain her sustenance from the same breasts he loved to caress and kiss. During those two weeks, his favourite thing to do, besides watch them sleep, was to hold Ainsley as she nursed Grace. More than their naps together, it was those quiet times feeding Grace he missed most now that he was back to work.

He'd been too busy or too drunk to remember Mallory at that age. In fact, he'd been too busy or too drunk through most of Mallory's child hood. Out of all the things he had to regret about the time he spent at the bottom of a bottle was his relationship with his daughter. Getting clean and sober helped but it was Ainsley and the friendship she formed with Mallory that made all the difference and gave him back his little girl.

The final piece of his relationship with his daughter fell into place the morning last week when he'd gone back up stairs after the daily conference call with staff and found Mallory had arrived. She was rocking Grace while Ainsley enjoyed a long hot shower without interruptions. He'd stood quietly in the doorway, watching and listening to the two sisters get acquainted.

 

 _"You have wonderful parents sweetheart. Our dad, he's a good man with a big heart. He's changed a lot since I was a kid and your mom had a lot to do with that. She'd been really good for him and I don't think I've ever seen him happier than the day you were born, except maybe the day he married your mom._

 _"You won't understand this for a long time but he's more than just our dad. He's an important man doing an important job for Uncle Jed. I didn't even realise that until someone very special explained it to me recently. So you'll have to be patient with him when he works long hours or has to travel with Uncle Jed. But it's only for three more years or so then he'll be home enough to drive you crazy." Mallory paused, kissing Grace's head. "You're his second chance, kiddo. He has the chance to be the kind of father for you he couldn't be for me."_

 _Leo heard Mallory's voice crack and couldn't stand there and listen any longer. "Mal," he called softly._

 _Looking up and over to the door, Mallory saw her father standing there with tears in his eyes. Seeing her father display such emotion was her undoing and tears began to stream down her face as she whispered, "Daddy."_

 _"Sweetheart," he started to say as he crossed the room toward them. Leo sat down and pulling the footstool next to the rocker. He reached out and caressed away Mallory's tears. He wanted to apologise for not being the father Mallory deserved. "I'm sorry," he started to say until her fingers on his lips silenced him._

 _"Shh... No apologies. No looking back. Thanks to Ainsley and Sam, I understand a lot more things than I did before. You have a chance with Ainsley and Grace to have something you never could have hand with Mom even after Sierra Tucson," she paused, kissing Grace's head again. Taking her father's hand and giving it a slight squeeze, she added, "And you'll always have me." She wanted to let him know she would always be his 'little girl' too._

 _Leaning forward, Leo first kissed Mallory’s cheek then Grace’s. "Thank you. I don't deserve it, but thank you," he whispered, his voice thick with the love he felt for his two different and very beautiful daughters._

 

Ainsley had taken a picture of them that day and when he's gone back to work he'd found it framed and wrapped in tissue in his briefcase. The picture was placed on his desk along with the one of he and Ainsley and the framed cocktail napkin. When his tempered had flared this past week and his frustration level soared all he had to do was look at the pictures, his thoughts cleared and he was able to get back to work

Somewhere along the line he'd become as much a family man as he was a political operative. Now he just had to learn how to balance the two. He was sure, however, Ainsley would be there to help him and if not Ainsley then Jed would have no problem keeping him on the straight and narrow.

Parking his car in the shallow turn-in in front of the townhouse, Leo was glad the week was over. Other than a few meetings, he had the weekend free, baring national disasters, of course. Surprised when the dog didn't greet him at the door, Leo set his brief case down and armed the security system before heading up the stairs to bed. Standing in the doorway to the mater bedroom he watched as Ainsley nursed Grace with Spot stretched out along her leg. He felt all the tension from the day fade away, it was no longer important.

Ainsley looked up and smiled at him. "Come change your daughter," she whispered urging him forward.

"Let me get out of my suit first." He crossed the room and quickly shed his suit, leaving it draped over the wooden valet. Stepping into the pajama bottoms, Leo tightened the drawstring as he made his way to the side of the bed. Kissing Ainsley hello, he took Grace from her arms. "Hello baby," he said and continued to whisper to her the whole time he changed her diaper and sleeper. When he finished, he carried her back to bed, handing her to Ainsley long enough for him to get settled in bed before taking her back. He cuddled Grace against his chest as his wife curled up next to them with her head on his shoulder. Leo knew he should put Grace down and try to get some sleep, but these moments were too precious to miss out on. As he started to drift off, he felt Ainsley's gentle kiss and Grace being moved into place between them.

**Author's Note:**

> many thanks go out to [ Helsinkibaby](http://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby) for all the inspiration, prodding and beta reading


End file.
